Reykjavík’s soaring church defines the city skyline and is one of the tallest structures in Iceland, visible from 20km away. Named after poet Reverend Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–74), who wrote Iceland’s most popular hymn book, Passion Hymns, Hallgrímskirkja (hallgrimskirkja.is; church free, tower adult/child 1400/200kr) is also one of the best places to get a bird’s-eye view of the city.
Head to the top of the 74.5m-high tower to look out on Reykjavík’s colorful houses, the Atlantic Ocean and Mt Esja. On a clear day, it’s possible to see as far as the Snæfellsjökull glacier. A lift carries visitors part of the way up the tower (no prebooking of tower tickets), but you have to climb a few flights of stairs to reach the very top. Try for a local’s pronunciation: Hallgrímskirkja is pronounced hatl-krims-kirk-ya.
In contrast to the high drama outside, the Lutheran church’s interior is quite plain. The most eye-catching feature is the vast 5275-pipe organ installed in 1992. The church’s size and radical design caused controversy, and its architect, Guðjón Samúelsson (1887–1950), never saw its completion. The columns on either side of the tower represent volcanic basalt, part of Samúelsson's desire to create a national architectural style.
On the church’s front plaza, gazing proudly into the distance, is a statue of the Viking Leifur Eiríksson, the first European to discover America. A present from the USA on the 1000th anniversary of the Alþingi (Parliament) in 1930, it was designed by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870–1945), the father of modern mobile-creator and sculptor Alexander Calder (1898–1976).
The church’s best-kept secret may be its organ recitals and 50-person choir (listvinafelag.is) that regularly performs concerts. You can see concerts and prices, plus mass schedules (usually 11am Sunday and 10am Wednesday) online. The tower is closed during some of these.
